Årdal Church (Agder)


Årdal Church is a parish church in Bygland municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the village of Grendi, just west of the Norwegian National Road 9, on the shore of the Byglandsfjorden. The church is part of the Årdal parish in the Otredal deanery in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark. The white, wooden church was built in an octagonal style in 1828 by the architect Anders Thorsen Syrtveit. The church seats about 200 people.

History

There was probably an old stave church on this site in the middle ages. The first time this church is mentioned in existing historical records was in 1327, although the church was built before that time. In 1604, a new Årdal church was built and by 1662, it was noted that the church was in need of extensive repairs. In 1723, the King sold the church to the local farmers in the parish. Due to population growth, in the early 1800s, the parish decided that the church needed to be replaced. In 1828, the present church was constructed. There was a small graveyard surrounding the church, but in the 20th century, some land across the road was acquired as an annex graveyard.